Update, Friday night, Nov. 6: The DeSoto affidavit ballot review, the public step in which the DeSoto County Election Commission decides which affidavit (provisional) ballots from the Nov. 3 general election will be counted, is now set for Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 3 p.m. at the Election Commission Building in Hernando. The county posted the notice at 6:19 p.m. Friday.
That date is a day later than earlier guidance. The commission’s statement on Nov. 4 said affidavit ballots would be counted no earlier than after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, once the deadline for voters to cure identification problems has passed.
DeSoto affidavit ballot review: when and where
Date: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026
Time: Beginning at 3 p.m.
Location: DeSoto County Election Commission Building, 2510 Highway 51 South, Hernando, MS 38632
Open to the public: Yes. Residents may attend and observe.
According to the notice, commissioners are currently canvassing the affidavit and provisional ballots cast on Election Day. The public curing, voting and review process has not started yet. During Wednesday’s session, members of the public can ask questions about ballots that were accepted or rejected and ask how those decisions were made.
The commission said it is working to finish the canvass “while maintaining transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the election.”
Nov. 11 is also Veterans Day. An earlier county notice said most county offices will be closed that day. Friday’s notice doesn’t say whether the holiday affected the schedule.
What affidavit voters need to know
Voters who cast an affidavit ballot because they did not show acceptable photo ID must bring that ID to the DeSoto County Circuit Clerk’s office, on the second floor of the courthouse in Hernando, by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. The clerk’s office can be reached at 662-469-8007. If the ID isn’t presented by the deadline, the ballot cannot be counted.
Voters who cast affidavit ballots for other reasons, such as a name missing from the poll book or a polling-place change, don’t need to do anything else. According to Action News 5, DeSoto County Election Commissioner Sissie Ferguson said more than 2,000 affidavit ballots in the county are under review. She also said voters will be able to check whether their ballot was counted after the election is certified.
Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office runs an online affidavit ballot tracker. A ballot won’t appear there until local officials have processed it. Watson said Friday evening that about 11,202 affidavit ballots had been processed statewide and that roughly 78% had been accepted, Action News 5 reported.
Why it matters in the Senate race
The review is drawing close attention because Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race is still too close to call. As of Friday night, Democrat Scott Colom led Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith by about 2,500 votes statewide, according to Gray News, and thousands of absentee and affidavit ballots remain outstanding. Counties must certify results by Nov. 13.
Still unknown: how many of DeSoto County’s affidavit ballots are likely to be accepted, how long Wednesday’s review will take, and when the county will post updated totals. DeSoto County News will update this story as the Election Commission releases more information.
